Apparatus for making flock covered paper



Nov. 27, 1951 o, w. BERGLUND 2,576,276

APPARATUS FOR MAKING FLOCK COVERED PAPER Filed Aug. 2. 1948 vmvzwrlm ORION WILLIAM BERGLUND ATTOR KEYS Patented Nov. '21, 1951 2,576,276 APPARATUS FOR MAKING FLOCK COVERED PAPER Orion William Berglund, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Commonwealth Engineering Company oi! Ohio, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation oi. Ohio Application August 2, 1948, Serial No. 41,992

4 Claims.

This invention deals with a flock-covered sheet material and the process and apparatus for makin: such material.

It is an object of this invention to provide a sheet material that is characterized by high tensile strength.

It is another object of this invention to provide a combination sheet material in an extremely inexpensive and simple manner.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a sheet material which has a very pleasing and decorative appearance.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a sheet material which has a good grip so that slipping is prevented.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a sheet material which is free from tackiness so that it can be stored in multiple layers, for instance, it can. be wound on reels or piled instacks.

These and other objects are accomplished by depositing a flock material onto a temporary base while applying suction thereto, thereafter superposing a sheet with an adhesive surface as the permanent base over said flock-covered temporary base whereby said flock is transferred to said permanent base, removing said flock-covered permanent base from said temporary base, and

subjecting it to drying.

While various kinds of materials are suitable for the temporary base, a'lOO-mesh metal screen and a cloth consisting of vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer have been found especially satisfactory.

As the permanent base, fabric, leather, plastics and the like are operative; however, paper, especially when impregnated and/or coated with an adhesive material, is preferred, since it is the least expensive material and yet yields a final product of excellent characteristics.

As theimpregnant or coating composition, all kinds of resinous solutions are satisfactory; for instance, a vinyl resin dissolved in cyelohexane or a polystyrene resin dissolved in carbon tetrachloride have been used with good results. Alkyd paints and varnishes and nitrocellulose containing solutions have also been found satisfactory. While the adhesive material may be used in the form of a coating and/or of impregnation, the method is still more simplified by solely using a sheet of adhesive propertie as the permanent base, such as a sheet of plastic material the surface layer of which is partly dissolved and thus tacky enough to bond the flock.

Likewise, the material of the dock is not critical. Rayon, cotton, wool, paper and asbestos flock have been used and found suitable. In order to give the final product a more decorative eflect, flock of different colors may be used. If paper, for instance, is covered with asbestos flock on both its surfaces, a flame resistant product is obtained.

The end product has a suede leather-like appearance and, since the tensile strength is relatively high due to the impregnation by a resin, or the like, the material may be satisfactorily used as a leather substitute.

It has also been noticed that if a screen with a pattern is used, this pattern is transferred by the flock to the permanent base so that in case a patterned product is obtained.

In the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings two embodiments of my invention are described. This description is not given for the purpose of limitation, but merely for that of illustration.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevational View of an apparatus for carrying out my invention; and

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic elevational view of another embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and in particular to Figure 1, the reference numeral llldesignates an endless belt consisting of a metal screen. This endless belt is driven by two wheels H and I2. A suction box I3 operated by a suction pump it is arranged under said belt, and a casing I5 is arranged above that belt so as to concentrate the suction effect. A flock dispenser l6 containing flock I1 is mounted above said casing I5; it applies the flock ll in a layer ill to the screen l0. Due tothe suction exerted, the individual fibers of the flock assume an upright position which is responsible for the velvet or suede-like appearance of the final product. A reel l9 carries and dispenses sheet material 20 intended as the permanent base for the flock. A nozzle 2| applies an adhesive material 22 onto said sheet material 20*, The thus treated sheet designated with the numeral 25 is led over two guide rolls 23 and 24 and then brought in contact with the flock layer It on the screen Ill. The flock is immediately transferred to and held by the sheet 25. An infra-red lamp 28 provides forthe heat necessary for drying the material whereupon it can be wound on a reel 21.

The embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 differs from that just discussed in that one material is used for both purposes, namely as the permanent base and as the adhesive. In this 3 embodiment, like in that of Figure 1, a screen belt 28 is driven by two drive rolls 23 and 30, and a suction box 3| with a pump 321s arranged below said belt whereas a casing 33 is mounted above said belt and said suction box. A hopper 34 furnishes flock 35 in the form of a layer 38. A funnel 31 with an adjustable opening 48 dispenses a film forming material 33. This material is spread onto the screen 28 by means of a vibrator roll 39 and a spreader roll 40, and its thickness is equalized and adjusted by means of a doctor blade 42 which is adjustable by means of a screw device 43. The film 41 is subjected to a drying step by means of an infra-red lamp 44 and then removed from the screen 28. The final product obtained thereby comprises the plastic film 4| carrying on the under-side the layer of flock 36. As in. the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the finished product is wound on a reel 45.

It will be understood that the process of this invention may also be carried out in a discontinuous manner.

It has been found advantageous in some instances to operate in an electrostatic field whereby the vertical position of the flock is maintained and guaranteed in the final product.

There are many uses for this invention. As has been mentioned above, the material is an excellent and inexpensive leather substitute; moreover, the invention is very valuable for manufacturing -oilcloth.

It will be understood that while there have been described herein certain embodiments of my invention, it is not intended thereby to have the invention limited to the specific details given, since this invention is susceptible to various modifications and changes which come within the spirit of the disclosure and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for manufacturing a flock-covered sheet material in a continuous operation, comprising a flock dispensing means having a closed casing portion; a metal screen adjacent said casing portion for temporarily receiving said flock and conveying the same through a given path; suction means to apply suction to said flock over a portion of the said given path; means including said receiving means to remove said suction means from said flock on said receiving'means; a means for depositing a sheet with an adhesive surface onto said flock after removing said suction means, whereby said flock is transferred to ant held by said adhesive surface; a means for removing said flock-covered sheet from said receiving means; and means for drying said flock-covered sheet.

2. A device for manufacturing a flock-covered sheet material in a continuous operation, comprising a flock dispensing means having a closed casing portion; a cloth sheet consisting of vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer for temporarily receiving said flock and conveying the same through a given path; suction means to apply suction to said flock over a portion of the said slgiven path; means including said receiving means to remove said suction means from said fiock on said receiving means; a means for depositing a sheet with an adhesive surface onto said fiock after removing said suction means, whereby said flock is transferred to and held by said adhesive surface; a means for removing said flock-covered sheet from said receiving means; and means for drying said flock-covered sheet.

3. A device for manufacturing a flock-covered sheet material in a continuous operation, comprising a dock dispensing means having a closed casing portion; an endless screen belt adjacent said casing portion for temporarily receiving said flock and conveying the same through a given path, said belt having a pattern on its surface; suction means to apply suction to said flock over a portion of the said given path; means including said belt to remove said suction means from said flock; a means for depositing a sheet with an adhesive surface onto said flock after removing said suction means, whereby said flock is transferred to and held by said adhesive surface; a means for removing said flock-covered sheet from said receiving means; and means for drying said flock-covered sheet.

4. A device for manufacturing a flock-covered sheet material, comprising a flock-dispensing means having a closed casing portion; a foraminous belt for temporarily receiving said flock from said casing portion; a suction device arranged under ,said belt to apply suction to said flock on said belt; means for removing said suction from said fioclr on said belt; a means for depositing a sheet with an adhesive surface onto said fiocir after removing said suction from said fiock on said belt, whereby said flock is transferred to and held by said adhesive surface; a means for removing said flock-covered sheet from said receiving means; and means for drying said flock-covered sheet.

ORION BERGLU'ND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS m Number Name Date 1,489,567 Weiss Apr. 8, 1924 1,781,797 Williams Nov. 18, 1930 1,861,003 Foster May 31, 1932 2,020,319 King Nov. 12, 1935 55 2,086,592 Williams July 13, 1937 2,087,441 Metcalf et a1. July 20. 1937 2,222,539 Meston Nov. 19, 1940 2,290,238 Hickok July 21, 1942 2,345,013 Soday Mar. 28, 1944 00 2,356,489 Amstuz Aug. 22, 1944 2,376,922 King May 29, 1945 2,428,591 Slayter Oct. 7, 1947 2,534,113 Egger Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS .5 Number Country Date 518,096 France May 19, 1921 

